Celebrating the Kiwi leaders across the number of businesses in the country, here are the biggest winners at the 2024 New Zealand Leadership Awards.

Levi Fawcett, CEO of one of New Zealand’s fastest growing start-ups, Partly, was announced the overall winner at the awards.

Recognising him for his entrepreneurial vision, Fawcett was awarded the highest award for his leadership in bringing his complex business idea to the global stage.

Judges of the awards – which include four Knights, three Dames, and industry game-changers such as Sir Peter Beck from Rocket Lab and Hnry’s Co-founder and CEO James Fuller – reveal that Fawcett was home-schooled until the age of 14 and told early on that he might be unemployable, but he took on the opportunity to target a $1.6 trillion industry by connecting automotive industries together through Partly.

Under his leadership, Partly has experienced rapid growth, with a record-breaking Series A fundraise of $36 million, marking it as New Zealand’s largest Series A to date.

Dedicated to recognise Kiwi leaders across ten categories, the 2024 edition received over 630 nominations.

Shay Peters, CEO of Robert Walters, the recruitment agency, says this year the nominees displayed a strong calibre of entries.

Read more: Partly becomes New Zealand’s fastest growing start-up

“The incredible quality of the nominations we received this year underscores the pivotal role that leadership plays in New Zealand,” he says.

“Robert Walters launched the Leadership Awards to recognise and celebrate the central role great leadership plays in driving growth, celebrating innovation, increasing productivity and maintaining the health and wellbeing of our communities across our economy.”

Winners of the 2024 New Zealand Leadership Awards:

SME Business Leadership Award – sponsored by Xero
Nicola Taylor – Co-Founder – Tax Traders & Taxi

Community Leadership Award – sponsored by Anthony Harper
Charlotte Gibson – Chairperson – Te Poho-O-Rawiri Marae

Innovation Leadership Award – sponsored by Hnry
John Rendall – Head of Technology and Innovation – Animation Research Limited

ED&I Leadership Award – sponsored by SkyCity
Sarah Archer – Head of Talent, Diversity & Inclusion – Chorus NZ

Entrepreneur Leadership Award – sponsored by Steinlarger
Levi Fawcett – CEO – Partly

Public Sector Leadership Award – sponsored by Meredith Connell
Joint Winners
Debbie Power – Chief Executive – Ministry of Social Development
Carolyn Tremain – Chief Executive – Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Māori Leadership Award – sponsored by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
Donna Flavell – CEO – Waikato-Tainui

Pasifika Leadership Award – sponsored by Tuputoa
Joint Winners
Paul Retimanu – Chairman – Pacific Business Trust
Nina Nawalowalo – Artistic Director – The Conch Charitable Trust

Sustainability Business Award – sponsored by Fonterra
John Berry – CEO – Pathfinder Asset Management

Large Business Leadership Awards – sponsored by Air New Zealand
Paul Newfield, CEO – Morrison

Most Incredible Emerging Leader Award
Ratu Mataira – Founder & CEO – OpenStar Technologies

Most Incredible Leader Award
Levi Fawcett – CEO – Partly